And They Called Her Angel
by WenonaWolf
Summary: An unusal visitor come to Stalag 13 and just in time to help Hogan's Heroes with an unexpected crisis. But when the tables turn, will the men be able to save their new friend's life?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** In keeping with the rules of common courtesy, I must state that I do not own any characters that appear on the Hogan's Heroes TV show. I do, however, claim the plotline and any other original ideas that appear in my writing. Oh, and I claim Angel. This is my first ever fanfiction, so please be patient and excuse the clumsiness.

 ** _And They Called Her Angel_**

Sunlight gleamed off the barbed wire as the noonday sun beat down on Stalag 13 in Germany. The drab buildings and plain dirt yards made the scene as colorless as the war itself. And yet there was a spirit of levity as the prisoners danced in front of the commandant's office. Pair by pair stepped and twirled as one of the men from Barracks Five called time. Colonel Hogan, the senior POW, watched contentedly as the guards stared at the cavorting men in confusion. Besides keeping the Germans off balance, the camp-wide dance practice provided a cover for his radioman, Sergeant Kinchloe, who was currently doing some rewiring on the fence.

"Besides." The wily colonel thought. "Some of the boys could really use the practice." He smiled at his own line of thinking.

The smile was erased however, when a black German staff car pulled through the front gates and up to Commandant Klink's office.

"Now what might our friendly neighborhood Gestapo be doing here?" Hogan said, half to himself and half to Corporal Newkirk, who was standing beside his CO.

Newkirk's eyes widened as a second passenger got out of the car. "Better question for you colonel." His English accent grew stronger with his surprise. "Wots 'e doin' with a girl in an American uniform?"

Hogan straightened and zipped up his jacket. "Hit the coffeepot, Newkirk. And I'll go ask Klink about your question." He made his way through the dancers, stopping at one particularly unmatched pair.

"Colonel." The little Frenchman said in a complaining tone of voice. "When will Kinch be finished? This boef is the worst dancer in the entire army."

"Well, you can lead for a while if you want to." Sergeant Carter said, completely genuine in his innocence.

Corporal LeBeau glared up at him. "It does matter if I'm leading or not. You still step on my toes."

"Alright ladies, you're excused." Hogan said, still staring at the occupants of the car, who had not yet entered the office. "Go help Newkirk make coffee. We've got visitors."

LeBeau took a quick glance and nodded. "Oui, mon colonel." He tugged Carter towards Barracks Two while Hogan continued towards the office building that Major Hochstetter and the girl had disappeared into.

Rose Carven stepped out of the car and smiled to herself. She'd heard that the operation here was wild, but this was unreal. Apparently her escort thought so as well.

"What is going on here?" He asked in his normal half-shriek, half-growl tone of voice.

"I believe it's a square-dance." Rose smart-alecked.

The Gestapo turned his furious dark gaze on her. "I am well aware of that." He turned and paced towards the building, his short legs moving quickly. "Come!"

Rose sighed and followed him inside, but not before she spotted the figure that moved through the dancers. Yes, that would be Hogan. She reviewed everything she'd been told about the leader of this operation in her mind as she walked up the stairs. He should be an interesting person to meet.

Hogan stepped inside Klink's office and did what he always did. Smiled at Hilda. But for once the striking blonde didn't smile right back at him.

"Colonel Hogan," She began, her blue eyes puzzled. "Did you see the girl they just brought in here?"

Hogan was surprised, and a little disappointed, that she had been paying more attention to the mysterious woman than to him. "Yeah, I saw her. Know anything about her?"

"No." the blonde answered. "But she smiled at me." Hilda shook her head. "No one going into the commandants office ever smiles at me unless they want something."

"I smile at you." Hogan protested.

"And you always want something." Hilda's tone turned a bit flirtatious.

The colonel was tempted to follow up on that, but duty called. So did Klink, from the office. Or, more accurately, he told the guard to go find Hogan.

The senior POW officer seized the moment and opened the door just as the guard was reaching for the knob on the other side. "You sent for me, Colonel?" Hogan said, poking his head into the room.

"Yes Hogan." Klink had that superior look of satisfaction which resembled that of a dead fish on his face. "I assume you noticed the woman in the American uniform come into camp?"

"It's not exactly the latest fashion." Hogan glanced at the woman, really more of a girl in her early twenties. Short brown hair, bright blue eyes and a five foot eight stature: she was the picture of an American tomboy.

Rose, for her part, was also sizing up the American officer. He wasn't overly tall, but he carried a subtle commanding presence that was obvious when he looked at her. He had thick, black hair and keen, dark brown eyes that seemed to be always watching, assessing everything. Hogan's eyes were kind of close together, reminding Rose of a wily fox. She knew immediately that she was looking at a man of greater intelligence than he might let on.

"You'll be interested to know that she has been assigned to work in this area and will be staying right here in Stalag 13." Colonel Klink appeared to relish knowing something before Hogan, which was absurd, because he should have known many, many things before Hogan did.

Colonel Hogan was disappointed. She was a traitor, and still in uniform too. The only question was, why did they tell him right off that they were slipping a ringer into camp? He had no time to contemplate this at the moment as the major began speaking.

"Fraulein Rose is an experienced doctor and will be allowed to treat any medical conditions your men might have." Hochstetter said.

That clinched it for Hogan. The Gestapo never did anything nice for POWs. It had to be a trap. "We have our own medic, Major. We don't need any of your American deserters to help us out." Hogan said, allowing a bit of derision to enter his voice.

Unexpectedly, the girl rocketed to her feet. "I resent that statement, Colonel." She said, her eyes fiery with anger. "I was born an American in the sovereign territory of Alaska. I'm serving as an American trying to help Allied POWs. And if necessary, I'll die an American trying to do what's right."

Hogan allowed a cynical smile to appear. "Any Kraut spy can say that."

Rose tossed her hair. "I'm afraid you got the wrong picture from these two. I have no desire to be associated with the German government, their cause, or their animal leader."

Both German officers jumped up at this last inflammatory remark. The major backhanded Rose hard across the face, his ring leaving a cut on her cheekbone. "How dare you speak of our Fuhrer this way!" He screamed up at her. The scene would have humorous if it wasn't for the fact that he could have had her executed.

Hogan watched with interest, while appearing to remain totally uninterested on the outside. It was a skill he had mastered. It was totally possible that this charade was intended to convince him of the girl's American loyalties. If so, it wasn't working. He did note with some degree of surprise that the girl… what had they called her? Rose? She had shifted her feet when Major Hochstetter had stuck his blow. She had immediately gone into a basic fighting stance.

"I dare to talk of him like that because I've seen how many thousands of people he's killed." Rose answered, scowling at the little man in front of her. Kill her? Yep, he would do that. But scare her? Never. She was too angry.

"He purges the earth, leaving only the master race behind!" Hochstetter howled.

Rose realized where this argument was going. Once they got on their propaganda, there was no getting them off of it. Her face transformed and she took on a bored expression that almost mirrored Hogan's. "Let's not get into this again." She sighed and sat down.

Hochstetter knew, from experience, that continuing to lecture would only result in the girl staring at him in silence and raising an eyebrow in a most infuriating way. "May I remind you," He said acidly, barely controlling his screaming habit. "That you are here only because the glorious Third Reich has graciously allowed you to treat POWs? I suggest you do not anger us if you wish to keep your position… and your life."

The last was meant to be a threat, but it only resulted in Rose staring at him and raising an eyebrow. Hogan, while he didn't believe her story, was impressed with the way she manipulated the situation. If, of course, this wasn't a rehearsed scene. He decided it was time to reinsert himself into the conversation. "Colonel, I protest. The Geneva Convention…"

"Why are you protesting?" Klink interrupted him. "You're the one who's always complaining about your men's health problems."

"Yes sir, but Carter's toothache has gone away now and so…" Hogan began, but was interrupted, this time by Hochstetter.

"Silence!" Back to the screaming bit. "She will be housed here and you will rely on her for all your medical emergencies! Is that clear?" The Major drew a breath.

"Where will she be staying, sir?" Hogan directed the question at Klink. She obviously couldn't stay in the barracks. "The medical facilities are in ruins from that earthquake." Actually, it was a combination from an explosion of a nearby railroad and a caved in tunnel, but Hogan wasn't going to frame it like that.

"I've cleared out Barracks Nine." Klink said, happy with his own ideal of efficiency.

Hochstetter, who seemed to have calmed down, spoke again. "Good. The prisoners can help her move the medical supplies into the new quarters. Now get her out of here…" He stared vaguely at Hogan as if trying to remember something.

"Hogan." The senior POW helped him. Hogan gave up on trying to figure out what they were up to. He saluted and turned to leave with Rose right behind him. She breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them.

Rose, aware that the American colonel was watching her, gave the curious secretary another friendly smile as they passed through the outer office. The movement made her remember the cut on her face and she reached up to touch the mark as they came to the door. Rose sighed as she pulled her fingers away, showing a trace of blood.

"He doesn't seem to like you very much." Hogan observed.

"That's because I've been driving him nuts for the past three days." Rose answered. A bit of training in psychology was very useful when dealing with the Gestapo.

"You made him pretty mad back there." They stepped out on the front porch. Hogan surveyed the crowds of square-dancing prisoners. So Kinch wasn't finished yet. Or maybe they were still dancing just for fun.

Rose shrugged. "I was serious about what I said. Besides, I had to convince you that I wasn't a German agent somehow."

"Who says you've convinced me?" Hogan noticed one of the prisoners edging toward the fence. That was odd.

Rose frowned. "I know I didn't convince you. I'd be a little disappointed if I did."

Just then, everything broke loose. Kinch, who was walking back from his rewiring job, came out from between the barracks and fence in view of the main yard. He was just strolling along as usual, hands pushed into his jacket pockets and shoulders hunched against the cold, when the prisoner who had been working his way toward the fence made a dash for the barrier. Knowing full well that the distraction would have the guards' attention turned away from the fence for Kinch, the man threw his coat over the barbed wired and began to climb. He was counting on the guards being distracted enough and too slow to catch on before he was over. But he made a fatal error.

A shout of "Halt!" and the sound of machine gun fire had everyone diving for the ground. The man on the fence screamed and fell at the same moment as Kinch, who had been caught in the cross fire, bit the dust. Hogan flew off the porch and ran towards the place where the two prisoners lay. The guns had stopped firing and a crowd was forming quickly. Rose was right behind the senior POW officer and she quickly pushed her way through the crowd to the man who had tried to escape. One look told her that she couldn't do anything for him. She took a few running steps over to where Hogan was kneeling beside Kinch, who was stretched out on the ground, his entire frame tense from fighting the pain that coursed through him.

"Colonel, I think it's my time to go." The African-American staff sergeant gasped as his dark eyes met Rose's. He managed a weak smile. "I'm seeing angels."

"You've been in this prison camp too long." Rose answered lightly as she assessed the wound. The front of Kinch's shirt was bloody and he seemed to be short of breath. She could guess where the damage was and pressed her fingers against the wound to stop the blood flow. Rose studied him, the second Stalag 13 POW she had met. Even with him lying on the ground, she could tell the dark-skinned man was a bit over average in stature, being both tall and solidly built. His almost black eyes were wide, but dulled by the hurt she knew he was experiencing. Yet his quip when he had seen her told of an unwavering courage and control.

The guards were pushing the crowd back now and Hogan looked up to see the concerned faces of the other three in his main group looking on fearfully. He also saw Klink and Hochstetter approaching. With a nod to Newkirk, Carter, and LeBeau, Hogan stood and met the German officers head on.

"Sir, this man needs medical attention. He has to go to a hospital."

Klink, of course, turned white at the sight of blood and was of no help at all. Hochstetter smiled evilly. "You have medical help." He said, nodding to Rose.

"Major, this man needs the hospital." Rose glared at him. "I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker."

"Set up your own hospital." Hochstetter said carelessly. "The Red Cross has given you enough supplies to do so."

Hogan could see that the Gestapo agent fully intended to refuse any transportation to the hospital. There were no kind or even remotely humane Gestapo agents. He tamped down the urge to throttle the little man. "Newkirk, Carter, carry him into my office." Hogan called forcefully as the major turned away, followed very quickly by Klink. The Englander and the lanky American hurried to their comrade. "LeBeau, get the medic, on the double." Hogan ordered.

Rose resisted the temptation to knock some sense into the officer. Disbelieving her story was one thing, but allowing one of his own men to die because of suspicion… that was another. However, if she had read the colonel right, she would make no headway with him right now. She quietly got up and hurried back to the car to grab her little pack.


	2. Chapter 2

When Rose opened the door to Barracks Two, it was dead quiet. All eyes turned to the lithe figure in the doorway, wondering who she was and why she was here in this horrible hour. Rose ignored the stares and made her way to the door of the little quarters in the back. She could hear voices inside. No one stopped her as she softly opened the door.

"Colonel, I'm a field medic." A man's frantic voice said. "This is way out of my league."

"There's got to be something you can do." Hogan's voice was unusually hard. Rose knew he was desperate.

"If I start messing around with this, I could kill him." The medic's voice protested.

"Colonel." Rose said quietly. She stepped inside. "I can help."

Hogan eyed the girl. Despite the blood that covered her hands, she had a gentle and confident manner about her. The colonel didn't trust her, but couldn't let one of his men die when she might be able to help. This was what it meant being an officer, making the hard decisions.

"Alright." He relented. "But I'm staying in here. And I'll be watching you."

Rose nodded. She had expected that. She walked over to the bed and stood beside Carter, who was crouched on the floor holding a piece of gauze over the wound in his buddy's torso. "Hey soldier." She said softly, looking down at Kinch.

Kinch looked up through the blinding fog of pain. He didn't know her, but her smile seemed to radiate comfort and assurance that everything was going to be all right. The black soldier instinctively trusted her. "Always wanted to meet my guardian angel." He said haltingly. "Guess I'll be meeting a lot more of them."

Carter looked up in worry at the colonel, who had come to stand with them. Then the American's blue eyes flicked over to Rose, who caught the look.

Rose was already summing up Carter and she liked the young sergeant. Fairly tall and painfully gangly, with dirty blond hair… her first impression was that she was looking at a country boy. His gray-blue eyes were tinged with worry at the moment, but under that Rose saw friendliness and even boyish innocence. She gave Carter a little smile, which seemed to have the same effect on Carter as it did on Kinch.

"Hey now." Rose said as she crouched beside the lower bunk. "Don't be talking like that. This angel is pretty firmly attached to life here on earth for right now. I'd rather keep you here with us." As she was speaking, she studied the position and shape of the wound where his shirt had already been cut away. Her fingers idly turned over his dogtag and she looked at the name as a matter of habit. Then she laid her hand on his chest and measured his breathing. It was jerky and labored, confirming her fears. Rose reached for her pack and pulled out a syringe and a bottle.

"What are you doing?" Hogan's voice was wary.

"This is a muscle relaxant." Rose explained as she filled the needle. "It will help him be able to breath." She went to inject it, but a hand on her arm stopped her.

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?" The colonel asked, his brown eyes searching her blue ones.

Rose looked him straight in the eyes. "Colonel, you'll have to trust me. I want to save this man's life."

"Colonel," Kinch's voice was strained. "It's ok. She's right."

Hogan released her arm and Rose finished the injection. There was an immediate result and Kinch began to breathe more normally.

"How does it look?" The colonel asked as she finished.

Rose decided to give him the straight out truth even though the patient was laying right there. "It was a ricochet. If it had been a direct hit, it would have penetrated farther, maybe even killed him. But the bullet bounced off of something first and hit him at an angle. It pierced his diaphragm, the muscle you use to breathe. The bullet stopped in the muscle and that's why I had to administer the muscle relaxant. His diaphragm was going into spasms because of the foreign object. I have to remove the bullet soon or, even with the relaxant, he could go into respiratory arrest." She paused. "It's up to you colonel. You can let me do the procedure or you could wait until his muscle seizes up and he dies from lack of oxygen." It was harsh, yes, but it might be the only way to get the point across.

But the colonel took a most unexpected route of action. "Well, what do you think Kinch?" He asked, leaning against the top bunk. "She may be a German spy. And she may end up killing you even if she's not."

The staff sergeant was barely awake. By sheer will-power, he had followed the conversation and his quick mind grasped the situation. "Let her do it, Colonel." He sighed. "If you can't trust angels, who can you trust?" His voice trailed off as he lost consciousness.

Colonel Hogan looked at Rose. "Ok, he trusts you. I'm trusting you too, for right now. What do you need?"

Rose's mind sprang into action. "I have all the tools I need in the car. Send a couple of your most trusted men over there and tell them to bring back the black box. And I'll need lots of hot water." She thought for a moment. "I can do it here or in the Barracks I've been assigned. I suppose it's up to you since this is your quarters."

"I want this done ASAP." Hogan answered. "Do it here."

"Right." Rose said. "I'll need someone to help, preferably two people."

"Me for one." Hogan said immediately.

Carter, who had been uncharacteristically silent, now spoke. "Colonel, I volunteer."

Rose studied him. "Can you handle it?"

"Of course I can." Cater sounded slightly offended. "Why back home I used to…"

"He can handle it." The colonel cut in, forestalling a lengthy explanation.

"Ok, what's your name soldier?" Rose asked.

"Andrew Carter, sir… uh, ma'am." Carter gave her one his typical goofy grins. "But the boys call me Carter."

"Well, I'm not a boy, but I will call you Carter." Rose said decisively as Hogan slipped out.

Newkirk and LeBeau stood as they saw their CO come out.

"Colonel 'ow…" Newkirk was almost afraid to ask. They had been in a lot of tough spots in the time they had worked together, but this was the first time one of the inner team had been hurt this seriously.

"She wants to operate right now." Hogan said. "LeBeau, take one of the other men and go get the black box from the staff car. Unload any of the other boxes into Barracks Nine while you're at it."

"Yes sir." LeBeau motioned to one of the men and left with a bang of the door to punctuate their urgency.

"Newkirk, get on the radio to London." Hogan paused to realize that this was usually the line he said to Kinch. He pushed the thought aside. "Find out everything you can about one Rose Carven."

"On it sir." Newkirk opened the tunnel and began to descend. Then he stopped. "He will be ok, won't he Colonel 'Ogan?"

The colonel took off his hat and ran a hand over his dark hair. "Hard to say, Newkirk."

In just over an hour, Rose was closing the wound after removing the bullet. The soldier had lost a lot of blood, but he was in good physical condition and his breathing had remained steady for the entire operation. She sighed and looked up at the Colonel after putting in the last stitch. "If he wakes up, he's got a good chance." Rose looked down at her patient and gently covered him with a blanket. No matter how many times she did this, it always cut straight to her heart to see good men hurt. He looked so peaceful, lying there, but she knew he was fighting for his life. And she had helped all she could.

"How long do you think his recovery time will be?" The colonel asked. Carter began gathering up bloody material and taking it outside.

"The muscle will mend quickly since he uses it every day. But you'll have to give him time to build up his strength after the amount of blood he lost. I'd say he'll be ok in a few weeks." Rose rubbed her head against her shoulder to brush loose hair out of her eyes. Her hands were still bloody, but she was used it.

The colonel set the last dish of hot water in front of her and she nodded gratefully. "So tell me." Hogan began. "How does a nice girl like you end up in Germany working with the Nazis?"

Rose sighed. "I don't work with the Nazis. I was involved in field medical work on the frontlines." She grinned slightly as she began to wash her hands. "They gave me a military rank because I was tougher and better than some of the army doctors. Kind of a special ops medical corps rank."

"Hold it. Hold it." Hogan held up a hand. "You mean you have a rank?"

"Private Rose Carven, 326498." Rose answered. "Yep. They had to give it to me. I was going to places that they wouldn't let civilians go." Hogan nodded and she continued. "Anyway, I got caught in a mobile skirmish one day while I was working the ambulance runs." She dried her hands on a clean bandage. "It was chaos out there and when the smoke cleared, no one knew who was alive and who was dead and no one wanted to risk getting shot to find out. I was injured during the fight and couldn't go anywhere." She absentmindedly touched her abdomen as she kept talking. "I heard someone yell for help and decided to go find out who it was. When I finally located him, I found out he was German. I had my kit with me and he would've died if I ignored him. So I took care of him."

"You took care of a German?" The colonel's eyebrows shot up.

Rose regarded him carefully. "I took care of a nineteen year-old boy whose leg was blown to pieces. It's a crazy war out there. He wasn't a soldier; he was a kid who was too far from home. As it turns out, the German ambulance got to us before the American one did. They took me as a prisoner of war. And they would have killed me right off if it weren't for that German boy." Rose stopped and thought for a moment. "Long story short, the general of the company I was with found out where I was and a bargain was struck up. The Allies could send me medical supplies and the Germans would allow me to treat POWs." She shrugged. "Of course, I'm still a prisoner myself. I'm completely at the mercy of whoever my escort is, whether it's Gestapo or Hitler's Youth. They've stolen supplies, tried to push me around and turn me into a spy, stopped me from helping some people… but they've never messed with an Alaskan girl before. We're tough stuff and they learned to leave me alone. So I help where I can." She finished.

"That's an impressive story…"

"But a ringer could've easily made it up." Rose finished. "Maybe you should ask London."

Colonel Hogan gave a barely suppressed start at her casual reference. She grinned. "Yeah, I know about that. They managed to sneak a message to me. 'If you're ever in trouble, go to Stalag 13.' I didn't come here to ask for help, but I was pretty interested to hear I'd be here."

"Good thing for us that you were here." Hogan replied. "Kinch is one of the best men we've got."

Just then, Newkirk stuck his head in the door. "Colonel?"

Hogan stood and crossed the room in a couple paces. He slipped out the door and shut it behind him. "What'cha got?"

Newkirk handed him a paper. "'Ere's what I got from London."

The officer scanned the paper. It matched the story he'd just heard. He whistled softly.

"What 'ave we got?" Newkirk asked curiously.

"Kinch was right." Hogan whispered in awe. "We've got an angel."

The next morning, Rose was up just before morning roll-call. She slipped out of Barracks Nine and performed a quick scan to make sure that no guards were going to stop her. No gray uniforms were in sight, so she stole towards Barracks Two. She was just rounding the last corner when she bumped into a substantial figure who was going the other way. Since it was Shultz and since he was three times her size, she ended up flat on her back.

"Pardon me, Fräulein Rose." Shultz hurried to apologize. The expression on his round face instantly told Rose that he was no threat. He held out a hand to help her up, but she was already springing up from the ground unaided.

"No harm done, Sergeant." She answered cheerfully.

"You should not be out before morning roll-call." Shultz scolded her. "Someone will think you are trying to escape."

"If I was trying to escape, I certainly wouldn't be walking around like this." Rose answered, somewhat saucily. "Besides that, I have a patient to look in on and no one is going to stop me."

"Oh yes, Kinchloe." Shultz sounded slightly worried. "How is he?"

Rose's eyebrows soared. It was very unusual indeed for a German guard to be concerned about an American prisoner. "He'll be fine in a couple weeks if I have anything to say about it."

Shultz beamed. "Gut. They really aren't bad fellows, you know. Just have too much monkey business going on." With that, he resumed his journey, leaving Rose to wonder at the bulky German.

Rose opened the door quietly, in case some of the men were still sleeping. For once, everyone was awake, although the barracks was still hushed. Hogan, Carter, and Newkirk were sitting at the wooden table, each cradling a hot beverage. Hogan looked up as Rose slipped through the door.

"How is he this morning?" Rose asked in a low voice.

"He woke up sometimes after midnight for a few minutes." Hogan answered. "He fell back asleep and hasn't stirred since."

Rose breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. The worst of the danger is past then."

"Coffee?" Newkirk offered as he got up to refill his cup. He gave her an appraising look.

This was the first time Rose had noticed Newkirk more than just a brief glance. He was as tall as Carter and lean in a wiry kind of way. His tousled brown hair was short and his blue eyes were bright and lively, maybe even mischievous. Rose found his accent pleasant, having dealt with soldiers from the East End of London before. She got the impression that this man could have be the definition of what she knew as Cockney: rough-and-tumble, loyal as they came, swaggering on the outside but soft on the inside with a dash of humor to boot. Rose wrinkled her nose when Newkirk held out a cup. "No thanks.

Before anyone could comment on her obvious distaste, the door to the Colonel's quarters swung open.

"He's awake!" LeBeau's slightly accented voice called.

Immediately, the three at the table were headed for the door. Rose smiled to herself as she followed a few feet behind. These guys obviously looked out for each other. The worry last night had been palpable. She stopped just inside the office and leaned against the doorframe, taking in the touching scene quietly. Carter, LeBeau and Newkirk were on the floor by the bunk, talking animatedly in hushed tones to Kinch.

"Boy, you really had us going last night." Carter informed his injured friend. "You were so still that a couple times I thought we had lost you. But Rose never acted like she was worried at all. She just went right on working. And there was blood all over the place…"

"Oh button up Carter." Newkirk said happily. His words were menacing but his tone plainly showed his relief.

"There were a few times I wondered if I was going to wake up too." Kinch told Carter.

"And now that you have, I shall reward you with the most delicious dishes that Chef Louis LeBeau can prepare." LeBeau interjected.

"Ah, merci." Kinch's deep voice was quiet, content.

Colonel Hogan decided to step in now. "Alright boys, visiting hours are over. Let the doc come do her thing."

The three rose to their feet and headed out the door, bidding goodbye to their wounded comrade as they did so. Rose stopped LeBeau with a hand on his shoulder. He was the last of the core team that she had not met in person. Although LeBeau barely came up to her shoulder, he emanated life and fervor. Close cropped dark hair and dark eyes in a somewhat roundish face gave an impish impression. Rose knew that those eyes lit up when he gave an ear to ear grin that seemed to brighten the room, like the one he had given his injured friend. If there was one word to describe LeBeau, it was irrepressible.

"Would you please fix something for him?" Rose nodded to Kinch. "Something liquid, light, and nutritious. And make sure it tastes good." She added as an afterthought.

LeBeau seemed shocked and insulted. "My food always tastes good." He glared at her.

Rose shrugged. "Sorry. It's just that I've been given food that was light, liquid and nutritious, but tasted like carburetor cleaner. Which it may have been."

"We do not serve anything less than _exellente_!" LeBeau stormed out.

Rose looked to Hogan in confusion.

"LeBeau is a professional French chef." Hogan explained. "He didn't appreciate the insinuation."

"I'll be sure to make it up to him." Rose said as she crossed the room. "Hey. Remember me?" She asked Kinch, turning her attention to her patient.

The dark-skinned soldier gave her a little grin. "Yeah, sure, you're the angel."

Rose chuckled as she reached for her instrument pack under the bed. "Nah. I'm just a girl who wants to serve her country and save lives."

"That makes you an angel in my book." Kinch countered softly.

Rose shook her head. She adjusted her stethoscope and placed it against his bare chest. "Ok, don't try to breathe deeply. Just take it easy." Rose was relieved to find that both of the soldier's lungs were clear and his breathing normal. His heartbeat was a little bit more rapid, but that was to be expected after the amount of blood he had lost. "I was worried that something might have punctured your lungs or allowed fluid into them." She explained as she removed the stethoscope. "But they sound good." She touched the heel of her hand to his forehead. "And you don't have a fever. You're off to a great start."

"Can you tell exact temperature by touch?" Kinch asked, curious.

"I'm the oldest of eight kids growing up in Alaska." Rose laughed. "I can tell fever by touch easily. Now that I've eliminated the obvious examinations, how do you feel?"

"Ok, considering I just got shot up." Kinch answered. He grimaced a little. "It still hurts."

Rose nodded. "The last painkiller I gave you is wearing off. I can give you another one. Does it hurt to breathe?"

"Only if I try to take a deep breath."

"Ok, don't try too hard. I don't want you ripping open what I just sewed up last night." Rose gave him an encouraging smile. "You'll probably feel like everything is made out of lead until you start to get your strength back. But be patient. You're well on your way to recovery. Eat when you can and get lots of rest." She started to get up. "I'd better get back to my quarters before someone comes looking for me."

Rose was stopped by Kinch's hand grasping hers. "I don't really remember what happened last night." He said seriously. "But the Colonel says you saved my life by taking that bullet out when you did."

"It's what I do." Rose shrugged. "Keeping guys like you alive is my whole life calling right now. And I'm only less than half of the team. I do everything that I know to do and God supplies the miracles. I guess He gave one to you."

"He sure did." Kinch agreed. "Thanks, Angel."


	3. Chapter 3

Angel, as she quickly became known as, soon became well known and loved all over Stalag 13. Although she was often kept running form one medical case to the next for hours or days on end, she always found a bit of time to spend with the boys. It wasn't long before Colonel Hogan had shown her the tunnel system and allowed her full access to the 'downstairs.'

Angel especially enjoyed being with the special group of four that made up the Heroes' core team. After making up with LeBeau for her unintentional insult, she would often be the recipient of special tidbits that the chef prepared. They sometime bewildered and amused the barracks with their discussions comparing French and Canadian French, of which Rose knew a little. She would also spend hours talking to Carter, swapping Indian legends and tall tales from her home. Having explained and endured much teasing about her dislike for coffee, Rose would sneak into Barracks Two and drink tea with Newkirk, who was challenged to come up with a new sleight of hand trick that she couldn't recognize. Colonel Hogan quickly recognized Rose's fast wit and outside-the-box thinking, which caused him to let her join in on some of the mission planning. She could even make the German guards smile with her quick grin.

But it was Kinch who became really close to Rose. The two of them seemed to connect in the unique manner of close friends. As he was recovering from his near brush with death, she would often come to spend hours talking with him in Colonel Hogan's office. Even after he was stronger, they often stayed up late into the night discussing philosophy, theology, psychology, and technology in the radio room while Kinch manned the radio. While he was rebuilding his muscle strength after the ordeal, he taught her a bit about boxing while she traded the information with lessons on how to use human pressure points effectively. Oddly enough, as Kinch had originally called Rose his guardian angel, it was the Negro soldier who became Rose's guardian figure. Plenty of the guys from around the camp (desperate as they were) would have tried making passes at Rose if they weren't scared stiff of Kinch's right hook. So it was perfectly natural that Kinch was the first to notice something wrong with Rose.

"Hey Colonel." Kinch called as Hogan came back in from one of his mind boggling sessions with Klink. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure." Hogan said, looking at his radioman in curiosity. He grabbed a cup of coffee from the tiny stove and walked over to where Kinch was standing. "What's up?"

"It's Angel." Kinch answered in a low voice. "I think there's something wrong with her."

"Yeah? Like what?"

A slight frown marred Kinch's dark features. "She's been really quiet lately. And she doesn't smile as much as she used to. She just seems… drained, not like her usual self."

Hogan shrugged. "She's been working hard since she got here. She's in and out at all hours of the day and night. Maybe she's just tired."

Kinch sighed. "Yeah, you're right Colonel. Maybe my mind is just playing tricks on me."

As if by magic, the door swung open and in walked Angel. "Morning fellas!" She said cheerfully. A chorus of greetings came back at her. Colonel Hogan, put on alert by Kinch's words, watched her somewhat more carefully than usual. She may have been a little bit paler, but her words and actions were as lighthearted as ever.

"Hey Angel, I've got a new card trick to try out on you." Newkirk said as Angel walked around the table.

"Not today." Angel said, resting her foot on the bench and leaning heavily on her leg. "I came to see if LeBeau has any leftovers he wouldn't mind sharing with my patients." She looked hopefully at the shorter man.

LeBeau shook his head. "Sorry, someone ate them all yesterday." He glared at Carter.

"Hey, you can't blame a guy for being hungry." Carter defended himself.

Hogan decided to enter the conversation. "Is there a food shortage in the other camps?" He asked Angel, stepping closer to the table.

The tall American girl shook her head. "No, it's just that I can't seem to get it through the commandants' heads that men recovering from sickness need extra nutrition. A cold can turn into a case of the flu in those barracks."

"Maybe you should tell them that." Carter pointed out. "I mean, not even the Germans want to catch the flu. And you know how fast that can spread around. In our little town back home, one person would get it and next thing you know…"

"Yep, I know how that goes." Angel interrupted. "Maybe I can talk to the doctors in the hospital in Hammelburg. They might be willing to ship food out there."

"It's worth a try anyway." Newkirk put in.

"Yep." Angel straighten up. "I'd better go load up. Got lots of work to do." She started heading for the door. All of a sudden, there was a thump and she was lying on the floor between Carter's bunk and the table, surprising everyone. She didn't even move until Newkirk reached down to held her up.

"You alright, mate?" He asked, a little concerned.

"Yeah." Angel laughed a little as the Englander pulled her to her feet. "Guess I've been taking clumsy lessons from Carter." She slapped the young sergeant's back to let him know it was a joke. "See you guys later." Rose focused as she made the last few steps to the door. She couldn't risk falling again or even wavering a little. These guys were too sharp.

As soon as the door closed, Hogan glanced back at Kinch. The black soldier had a worried look in his eyes, which Hogan was beginning to understand.

"She didn't trip." Kinch said suddenly. "She just collapsed."

Hogan nodded. He had noticed it as well, along with the easy way Angel had brushed it off. "Men, have any of you noticed anything unusual about Angel the past couple of days?"

A thoughtful silence enveloped the table. LeBeau was the first to speak.

"I haven't given her food in a week or more. She never even asks unless it's for her patients."

"Yeah." Carter frowned. "And when we were talking the other day, she kind of spaced out in the middle."

"Come to think of it, she was over 'ere yesterday, drinkin' tea." Newkirk added. "I coulda' sworn her hands were shakin' when she picked up that mug. Didn't think much of it though."

"All those things can be explained." Hogan mused.

"Yeah. Maybe she's just having a rough time at work." Carter said, brightening.

Kinch shook his head. "Call it gut feeling, but I still think something is going on."

Just then Shultz barged in the door. "Guten morgen, gentlemen." He said, seeming to be in an exceptionally jolly mood. He looked around and noticed all the serious expressions. "Why does everyone have such gloomy faces on a beautiful day?"

"We're worried about Angel." Carter informed him, always the one to come straight and honest to the point.

"Worried about Fräulein Rose?" Shultz's chubby face took on a bewildered, confused expression. "She is fine. I just carried a box of medicine out to the truck for her."

Kinch's head came up. "You carried a box out for her?"

"Ja." Shultz stared at the POW in surprise. "What is so bad about that?"

"Colonel," Kinch turned to his commanding officer. "Angel is too independent to let other people do her work."

"It was just carrying a box out." Hogan took a sip of coffee, starting to believe that his man was paranoid.

"I know Angel." Kinch insisted.

"Kinch is right." LeBeau spoke up. "When she helps me with the laundry, she never lets anyone do the heavy lifting for her."

"Yeah." Carter put in. "She even refused to let me carry a bucket of water in for her. She said she wasn't a sissy and my muscles were better used somewhere else."

"So maybe she's a little tired." Shultz interrupted the conversation. "What's wrong with that? One of the guards said that she fell asleep in the back of the truck a couple of days ago. They had to shake her to get her to wake up."

"How could anyone sleep on a bone-rattler like that?" Newkirk groaned.

Shultz made a face. "The guard said he thought the truck had a leaky exhaust pipe and it made her dizzy. He wanted to take the truck to the mechanic, but I said, 'No, just put it back in the motor pool and don't make trouble.'"

Shultz's commentary was gone mostly unheard by the men around the table. Each was pondering the possibility that there really was something wrong with everyone's favorite nurse.

Finally, Hogan spoke. "I think I better look into this."

Shultz looked nervous all of a sudden. "Wha-wha-what do you mean, 'look into this'?"

As if responding to a cue, Newkirk and Carter got up from the table and began working Shultz back towards the door.

"Well, we wouldn't be very nice friends if we didn't look out for Angel." Carter said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, but how?" Shultz questioned as LeBeau pulled open the door.

"Well, I'll tell you Shultzie…" Newkirk began, but was quickly interrupted.

"No! I don't want to know." Shultz said quickly. "Just don't cause any monkey business." He gave the men a final glare and shut the door.

"Colonel, what are you thinking?" Kinch asked.

Hogan stared into space, a smile slowly growing as a plan of action formulated. "Get in touch with the Underground. Tell them that we have a special package for them to watch."

Two days later, Hogan and Kinch were downstairs in the radio room, talking to none other than the Three Little Pigs on the shortwave.

"Your special package visited six straw houses while we were watching." A voice crackled. "And the hospital, several times."

"Little Pig, could you see what the package was doing?" Hogan queried.

"Negative." The voice returned. "The special package seemed to be working with the little dwarves. Isn't that what you expected?" The 'little dwarves' was code for the prisoners of war.

"Roger." Hogan replied. "Did you see anything unusual? Any sign of the Big Bad Wolf?" Big Bad Wolf was the Gestapo.

There was pause on the other end. "No, Goldilocks. Big Bad Wolf didn't bother the special package. Little Pig Two says that the special package spent some time resting away from the little dwarves. He thought it was odd because the package has so many bowls of porridge."

Kinch grinned. Angel did have a lot of missions, but she needed more literal bowls of porridge.

"Thanks Little Pigs." Hogan said into the microphone. "Signing off."

Kinch clicked off the radio and looked at his commanding officer. Hogan stood deep in thought. A moment of silence ensued.

"Well, that's a relief." Kinch said finally.

"What?"

"I was getting worried that maybe those trips out of camp were really sessions with the Gestapo." Kinch's jaw clenched at the thought of Angel being worked over by the cruel men in black uniforms.

"Well, we know the Krauts aren't pressuring her with anything." Hogan said. With Angel getting into a German truck and disappearing at any hour of the day or night, they could never be completely sure what was going on. But apparently she was doing just what her job was, taking care of POWs.

"Is there any chance we could be wrong?" Kinch still thought Angel was acting strange, but he wasn't willing to rely on his opinion alone.

"No, I definitely have to agree with you." Hogan stated. "She's not been her normal self."

"I guess there's only one way to find out what's going on." Kinch glanced upwards to the barracks.

Hogan stayed where he was, leaning against the radio table. "Kinch, our mission is to harass the enemy and aid prisoners of war, isn't it?"

"In short, yes sir." Kinch wondered where this was going.

"And Angel does both, doesn't she?"

"Yes."

"So that puts her in my military jurisdiction." Hogan smiled. "And since I'm a colonel and she's a private, I have rank over her."

Kinch looked at Hogan and raised an eyebrow. The CO noted the action and shrugged. "Just something to keep in mind."

Just then, a voice echoed down the tunnel. "Colonel, Angel is back."

Hogan pushed himself off the table and headed for the ladder. Kinch followed.

"Colonel, you don't mind if I tag along, do you?" The staff sergeant asked, even though he was planning on coming along anyway. "After all, I do owe Angel a lot."

Hogan, who was half-way up the ladder looked down at him. "Wouldn't think of leaving you behind." He said seriously. Kinch's attachment to the young girl made Hogan smile as he climbed out of the tunnel. It simply reaffirmed what the colonel had always known. Behind their many quirks and differences, each of his men had a heart of gold and steel. He dusted himself off as Kinch closed the hatch.

"Alright." Hogan said. "We're going out to meet Angel. Everyone else stay here unless I order you do otherwise." There was a chorus of affirmation at his words.

Hogan and Kinch stepped out of the barracks and began to walk towards the lone feminine figure who had just left the truck.

Rose was focused on getting to Barracks Nine. Step by step, forcing herself to appear calm and normal. She felt shaky and weak, but she couldn't let that show. She looked up and saw the two men crossing the compound, heading straight for her. Both looked determined. It broke Rose's focus and the guard tower suddenly began to rock crazily as Kink's office swirled dizzily on the other side. The ground underneath Rose seemed to undulate like waves on the ocean and she felt herself falling. Then, nothing.

The two American soldiers had almost reached Angel when she wavered and then slumped to the ground. Hogan quickened his pace, but somehow Kinch was there first. He shifted the fallen girl carefully and felt for a pulse in her wrist. The little flutter that he found was both comforting and concerning.

"Come on Angel." Kinch said softly, shaking her a tiny bit. "Wake up." But she remained unresponsive.

Hogan crouched next to the two. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know." Kinch answered, his voice tinged with frustration.

Hogan scanned the compound around them. They were beginning to attract the guards' attention. "Let's take her back to Barracks Nine." He ordered.

Kinch scooped up the still form of his friend and a look of surprise crossed his face. "Colonel, she's a featherweight." Rose was thin, but she was tall and by no means petite.

"Let's go." Hogan said tersely as he led the way to Barracks Nine. The fat figure of Shultz came waddling up as they got closer.

"Colonel Hogan!" the portly German said, staring at Kinch who was still holding Angel in his arms. "Was ist los?"

"She's very sick, Shultz." Colonel Hogan replied. "Now you wouldn't want us to keep her out here in the cold, would you? We're taking her home where she can rest."

"Ja. Ja." Shultz's jowls bounced as he nodded. "Good idea."

But the two POWs were already moving again. Colonel Hogan opened the door to Barracks Nine and Kinch quickly followed him inside, placing the unconscious girl on her bed. He touched her forehead lightly.

"She's burning up."

"Maybe we better go find Forbes." The colonel said quietly, referring to their medic. He turned to go find the man himself when Rose let out a strangled coughed and shivered.

"Angel?" Kinch's voice was as gentle as the colonel had ever heard it. "Can you hear me?"

Rose opened her eyes slowly, trying to focus as colors and shapes swam. As things became clearer, she recognized the two men bending over her. Two men that she had come to trust, almost completely. Almost.

"Hi guys." She said weakly.

"Private Carven, what is going on?" Colonel Hogan had not only used her military title, but his dark brown eyes were stern. Obviously, it was an order for an explanation, not a question.

Angel sighed. She knew this day had been coming, but she had been unwilling to face it. There was nothing to do but tell the truth. "I'm dying."

If Rose had hit them with a bucket of ice water, the two men couldn't have been more shocked. Colonel Hogan took an involuntary step backwards and Kinch's eyes grew wide.

"I know I should have told you sooner." Rose went on. "But I couldn't figure out how to explain it."

"Why? What makes you think you're dying?" the colonel asked, cocking his head a little and feeling like he already knew the answer.

"Colonel, I'm a doctor. I know what's going on with myself." Angel sounded a bit more like her old self. "When I was wounded before I was captured, they had to operate in order to save my life. It was a rushed, crude surgery and I wasn't cared for afterwards." She stopped and took a deep breath. "I didn't even have time to rest as I was moved from one place to the next while the deal was being made for me to help Allied prisoners. I never fully got my strength back." She closed her eyes, inhaled and pushed herself up into a sitting position, leaning back against the wall. "Then I got busy taking care of people. I had no time to eat, no time to sleep. I was moving all the time. What little strength I had built up was sapped. I knew I had a fever, but all I could do was take temperature reducing medicine and hold on."

"That's not all you could do!" Kinch's eyes sparked angrily. "You could have told us. You could have asked for help."

"What good would that do?" Angel shot back. "I needed time. I couldn't stop what I was doing. The German government isn't that happy with me being here already. If I stopped being able to do what I was supposed to be doing, they would get fed up. They would take away what little freedom I have, stick me in a camp somewhere, or accuse me of spying and shoot me. There was nothing you could do!"

"Are you sure about that?" Hogan cut in.

Rose's blue eyes met his gaze unwaveringly. "Colonel, I didn't want you to do anything. I wanted to help as many people as I could. If you would have tried to step in for me, then chances are the Nazis wouldn't let me care for POWs anymore. I had to stick with my mission for as long as I could."

"Well, your mission just got changed." Hogan was still upset. "Your new orders are to stay here and rest."

"Colonel, that won't help." Rose bowed her head. "My body is just too worn out to catch up. Eventually, it will just stop working."

Kinch reached out and placed his big hands on her shoulders. "Hey, we're going to take care of you. Just… don't give up on us."

"I'm not giving up." Angel answered, smiling a little at his concern. "But I'm still a prisoner. Do you really think the Germans are going to let me stay here?"

"I think they will." With that, Colonel Hogan turned and left the barracks.

"What?" Colonel Klink slowly rose from his chair, a look of utter astonishment on his face.

"Yes sir." Colonel Hogan continued gravely. "I'm afraid Angel is very sick."

"How could this happen?" Klink paced over to the window and stared out the frosted panes.

 _"Well stubbornness and secrecy for one thing."_ Hogan thought to himself. He was still annoyed by Angel's reasoning, even though he could find no fault in it. Which made it all the more annoying. "I sure do pity your position, sir." Hogan said out loud. When playing with Klink, he always went into the session with a clear objective in mind. Today's objective was to convince Klink that Angel needed to stay in Stalag 13 until she was completely better. In order to do that, the conversation had to come back to Klink. Sure enough, he whirled around when his position was mentioned.

"My position?" he asked, his voice rising. "What about my position?"

"Well, Berlin did send you this special prisoner under a Gestapo guard." Hogan began thoughtfully. "And of course you know what will happen when they find out that she's out of commission while living in your camp…" His voice trailed off, leaving Klink's limited imagination to fill in the details.

"That's right." Klink was now a quivering mass of nerves. "They'll think I'm somehow responsible."

"Of course, I'm sure that quick mind of yours has already come up with the solution." Hogan said, his voice modulating to a slightly awed tone.

"Of course." Klink looked quite pleased with himself, until he realized he didn't know what his brilliant plan was. "What solution?"

"You keep her here and let us take care of her." Hogan said slowly in order that the commandant might not miss a word. "She'll be in top condition in no time and the brass in Berlin will never know what happened."

"Ah yes." Klink looked contented. "After all, she's young and strong and she'll be back on the job before…" His entire facial expression changed. "What am I saying? General Burkhalter will be here in two hours!"

 _"Oh great."_ Hogan thought. He hated changing objectives, not to mention Germans, in mid-duping.

In less than two hours, the fat general himself was sitting in Klink's office. "Sick? So the little Allied infiltrator is sick?" His nasally, high pitched voice was irritating, but so was that little smile on his thick face. Hogan briefly wondered what Rose had done to make the general so happy with her illness.

"How sick?" Burkhalter continued.

Hogan's quick mind ran through all possible options, scenarios and answers. He decided the straight out truth was best. "Gravely ill, sir. But you needn't worry about it." The crafty colonel added quickly. "We're sure she'll up and around and working for you again in no time."

"What would I care about an enemy prisoner's health?" the general said sadistically.

"Well, surely sir, it can't reflect well on you if she can't be out there doing what she's supposed to be doing." Hogan pointed out.

"She is allowed to stay here only because of a contract that requires her to work." Burkhalter replied coldly. "If she can no longer work, the terms of the contract are void."

Hogan's heart sank as he suddenly realized that Angel had read the motives of her captors correctly all along. They really did intend to get rid of her at the slightest excuse. Klink might have been bullied by threat of his commanding officers, but Burkhalter was the commanding officer. Rose's life was completely at his mercy. Seeing that he had no leverage on the general, Hogan took a completely different tact. "Just the same, a lot of us think of Angel as kind of a little sister. Even the stern and efficient Germans can't just take her away. For all we know, she might die. Alone, in a strange place with no one to care for her." Sentimentality wasn't Hogan's strong point, but it was all he had for the moment.

Unfortunately, Burkhalter wasn't falling for it. "Don't think you can tell me what the German nation can or can't do." He said, his tone deceptively neutral. "A truck will arrive in two days to take her to the female prisoner of war camp." He turned back to Klink, clearly finished with the discussion.

Hogan, for once completely out of ideas, abruptly left the office, not even bothering to salute. He stormed out of the building. The weather had turned suddenly cloudy, which was fitting. Hogan moderated his pace as he approached Barracks Nine. He knew the men would be waiting inside, wanting to know what was going to happen. Already, a plan was forming in his mind. It was slightly risky, but it might save the young girl's life.

As he opened the door, four pairs of eyes turned on him expectantly. Hogan avoided the obvious question for a moment, choosing instead to speak to Kinch. "How's Angel?"

The radioman shook his head grimly. "Not good Colonel. After you left, she started shaking like she was cold. I finally managed to get her warmed up, but she passed out shortly after that and hasn't moved since."

Hogan stopped by the bedside, reached down and touched the girl's forehead. The burning that radiated from her skin was unreal. "Poor kid." He felt like he was seeing a lost fawn or a nestling.

"'Ow did things go over there?" Newkirk was the first to voice the question that hung heavy in the room.

"Unfortunately, Burkhalter's heart isn't as soft as the rest of him." Hogan sighed. "He's sending a truck in two days."

"We can't let her go." Kinch said, stating the obvious.

"I know that." The colonel paced across the room, arms folded in front of him, then suddenly spun to face the men. "We've got to kill her."

LeBeau, Carter, and Newkirk looked as if someone could knock them over with a feather. Only Kinch, who understood his commanding officer's methods of scheming, remained calm.

As per usual, Newkirk was the first to find his voice. "You've gone mad sir. Harm a lit'le thing like Angel?"

"Never!" LeBeau said hotly. "I'll desert first!"

"Yeah." Carter looked confused, which was normal. But he also looked a little mad, which was not normal. "You just don't do stuff like that to girls. Especially when they can't fight back."

"You're absolutely right Carter." The colonel smiled. "But the Germans don't know that."

"What do you have in mind?" Kinch finally spoke. He recognized that narrow eyed look and wily smile.

"If Angel is dead, she's safe from the Germans." Hogan started. "And if the German's think she's dead, we're free to keep her here until she well enough to go back to London."

"Do you really think we can fool Klink and Burkhalter into thinking she's dead?" Kinch asked.

"With a little chemical help, yes." Hogan answered. "Kinch, get in touch with London and set up an air drop for tonight. We're going to need some vitals suppressing drugs and black cloth. Lots of black cloth."

Kinch sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck where the tension had built up. London had agreed to the airdrop and the others had gone out to pick up the supplies needed for Hogan's grand plan. For once, Kinch was glad to be staying here. Angel brought every 'big brother protector' instinct in him to the surface. The bond that had formed between them had been fast, but it was hardened by the fire of war and death.

Angel mumbled something as she shifted on the cot. She had been half-delirious for the past few hours, waking up dazed and distant, then falling back into a comatose state. Kinch glanced at her and saw her eyes open. He hurried over to the bed.

"Hey Kinch." Angel said, a dreamy smile on her face.

"How're you feeling, Angel?" Kinch was relieved she at least remembered him this time.

"What month is it?" Rose asked, her mind not comprehending her friend's question.

"It's May." Kinch answered.

"May…" Angel half-closed her eyes. "It's so beautiful back home in the spring time. The snow is finally gone and the trees all have leaf-buds on them. Everything is green, all the way to the mountains. You can walk for miles and miles, unless you come to a lake or a river." Her voice trailed off.

"Sounds pretty." Kinch said, trying to keep her awake a little bit longer. "Maybe I'll come visit you sometime. After the war."

"Yeah, after the war." Angel breathed. She began to hum softly to herself and her eyes took on a far-away look. "Do you know that song?"

Kinch knew the tune. It was an old hymn. "Yeah, I've sung it before."

"It's called 'Shall We Gather at the River'." Rose told him. "I've seen a lot of good men die in this war. Maybe I'll see them at the river. I think the river in Heaven must look something like the rivers back home."

"Don't count on going to that river just yet." The normally reserved soldier's voice caught on the tears in his throat.

"I'm not giving up." Angel voice was barely audible. "Just saying… The melody of peace." She dropped back off, leaving Kinch to wait and pray that the Colonel's plan worked in time.


	4. Chapter 4

Colonel Hogan walked across the compound at a slower pace than his normal brisk stride. After all, he was bringing very bad news to the commandant's office. It wasn't that hard to keep playing his part today. Rose's life hung in a delicate balance. There was no guarantee that she would make it, even if they did pull this off. Hogan was as concerned about her as he would have been about one of his own men. He looked up as a black car with red flags pulled through the gates. A short figure in black got out and marched inside. So Hochstetter would hear the news first hand as well. The more people who were convinced, the safer it would be.

Colonel Hogan pushed all other thoughts aside as he entered the building. After all, this was possibly the only easy death announcement he would ever make. He attempted to emulate the disbelieving, horrified stare of a person who has just gone through a plane crash as he marched to the center of Klink's office. "She's dead." He said in a hoarse whisper.

Klink and Burkhalter came to their feet, a gratifying result for Hogan.

"Already?" The general seemed more surprised than upset.

"She went just a few minutes ago." Hogan moved to the window, keeping up his trance-like appearance. "She fought all night. But she just… couldn't go on." His voice broke and he buried his face in his hands.

"That is highly coincidental timing." Hochstetter spoke up, his beady eyes narrowing. "I was just on my way over to question her about possible knowledge of underground activity in this area."

Hogan allowed a flash of his anger to show through. "Well, you certainly won't get any information from her now, even if she did know something." He looked down at the floor. "She really was an angel to us."

"Maybe an angel with many lives." Major Hochstetter said suspiciously. "I don't believe you."

"You can come look if you want to, Major." Hogan said hotly. "She's gone. I watched her take her last breath."

"I think I will come look." The Gestapo agent said, springing to his feet. Hogan, Klink, and even General Burkhalter followed him outside. Shultz joined the column after Klink yelled for him.

" _So far, so good."_ Hogan thought. He had planned on cleverly convincing Klink or the general to come out and verify his story, but a testy Major Hochstetter worked even better.

They barged into Barracks Nine where Kinch, LeBeau, Newkirk, and Carter were standing around the bed, looking mournful. It wasn't hard to do. The vital suppressing drugs had worked well and the sight of Angel lying so still was enough to scare even those who knew what was going on. LeBeau burst into tears as Newkirk patted him on the back comfortingly. Kinch stood at ease, with his head down and shoulders slumped in sorrow. Carter simply stood there, looking slightly bewildered and afraid.

Hochstetter paid no attention to them, well immune to human suffering by now. He threw back the blanket that covered Rose's face and stared down at her. Certainly, there was no sign of life. No visible breathing. No color to her skin. The Major tried to find a pulse under her jaw and noticed that her body was cold. This was the effect of cool, wet rags, but he didn't need to know that.

Kinch clenched his jaw. He didn't like this heartless excuse for a man touching the helpless girl, but he told himself it was necessary and kept his feelings penned in as always. Still, he tensed up as the Gestapo man didn't move away.

Hochstetter seemed puzzled. He had felt sure that he had called Colonel Hogan's bluff, but the evidence said otherwise. He pulled the blanket off entirely and reached for Rose's hand, intending to check for a pulse there as well.

Kinch made an executive decision to take action. "Don't touch her again!" He said loudly and angrily. There was a startled gasp from Shultz, who had never before seen the quiet sergeant behave this way. Kinch swiftly stepped between the Major and Angel's still form on the bed. "She's dead! Can't you see that?" He frowned, his entire visage changed by his anger.

Colonel Hogan, seeing what Kinch was doing, quickly played along. "You'll have to excuse the man." He told Hochstetter, gently shoving Kinch aside. "If you'll remember, she saved his life once." Hogan's expression did not change, but his eyes became cold. "He's overcome with grief."

Even the Gestapo major seemed convinced by this display. He stepped back. There was a sniffling from the German ranks and everyone looked back at Shultz, who tried to hide the huge tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Bah!" Hochstetter raged out of the barracks, disappointed at losing a possible lead.

Colonel Klink, to his credit, also looked sad. When he spoke, it was with a heavy voice. "I'll see that her burial is attended to."

"No colonel." Hogan said quickly. "Have your men dig the grave, but we'll do everything else. She was one of ours after all."

Klink nodded and left with a weepy Shultz behind him. Only the general was left.

"And she said I was headed for an untimely death." He smirked. "Now I have the last laugh." He turned and followed the rest. Newkirk just managed to collar LeBeau, who headed to attack the German at the last comment.

"Animals!" the little Frenchman spat. "They didn't even care."

"Easy LeBeau." Kinch cautioned. "The important thing is that they think she's dead."

"That was a nice bit of acting Kinch." Colonel Hogan said. "It really played a number on Hochstetter."

"I didn't like the way he was looking at her anyway." Kinch shrugged.

"Alright. Let's get to work." The colonel said briskly. "Carter, Newkirk, finish that coffin you started building. Remember, we have to look like we're really burying her. Kinch, get Angel down to the tunnel where she won't be found. LeBeau, pass the word along to get the funeral started."

The men scattered to do their jobs. Kinch knelt by Angel's bed. "Just so long as we don't have to do a real funeral." He muttered under his breath.

The medic came by to help with moving the sick girl. He opened the tunnel entrance in Barracks Nine and, together with Colonel Hogan, carefully lowered Rose down. Kinch was already in the tunnel and caught Angel gingerly, taking her to the cot they had set up. He frowned as he laid the nurse down. She still hadn't shown any sign of coming too or returning to normal and it worried him. Forbes closed the tunnel entrance and came to stand beside him.

"Let me take a look." The older man said and Kinch moved to give him room to work. Forbes took out his stethoscope and placed it against Rose's uniform shirt, which she wore proudly. For several tense seconds, he couldn't find a beat. He frowned and adjusted the instrument. The slow thudding of Angel's heart reached his ears.

Forbes looked up at the tense man beside him. "She's alive, but she's in bad shape."

"She'll make it." Kinch said, wishing that he could be absolutely sure.

The entire camp was draped in black. Over the windows and doors, and flying from the roof tops were dismal reminders of the day's ceremonies. Any and every scrap of dark material was used to show the POWs apparent mourning. Every single prisoner there filed past the huts in complete silence, following the rough coffin that held only a dummy. Yet the mood was real enough. Stalag 13's Angel was in danger, and every man felt it.

As the coffin was lowered down and dirt thrown on top, no one could find anything to say. Not even Colonel Hogan. As the rough cross marker was planted, a deep voice began to sing. "Shall we gather at the river…" The other men who knew the song joined Kinch and their voices echoed from the farthest ends of camp. Even the three Germans in Klink's office who were watching the proceedings could not be completely untouched. A few men had to wipe tears form their eyes as the song ended and the POWs shuffled back to their barracks.

"Carter, I want you to look after Angel tonight." Hogan began as soon as they were back in the barracks. At least they could keep reminding themselves that she was still alive.

"No, I'll sit with her tonight." Kinch interrupted.

"You did it last night." The Colonel argued, not unkindly.

"Please, Colonel." Kinch pleaded quietly. "I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway."

"We'll take shifts." Hogan relented slightly. "I can't afford to have you out of commission for a day. Get some sleep. Carter will have first watch, then me, then Newkirk, then Kinch, and LeBeau has it till morning." He eyed his men. "Clear?"

"Yes sir." They chorused.

Several hours later, the colonel rubbed his eyes and yawned. It had been a rough night. Angel was restless, tossing and saying things in the heat of the fever. She was quiet for now, but that could change at any second. The sound of footsteps in the tunnel alerted the officer.

"My turn." Newkirk said as he stopped beside the bed.

Just then, Angel called out. "No! I won't!" She began thrashing, as if trying to throw something off. The two men jumped to hold her down, which aggravated her even more. She was gasping for breath and continued to struggle. "I'll never do it!" Angel screamed.

"Angel! It's alright!" Hogan shouted, vainly hoping that she would respond to his voice. It didn't work.

"Colonel, let me try." A new voice came from the tunnel. Kinch emerged from the dark opening and was to the bed in a few long strides. Newkirk and Hogan backed away as he took Angel by the shoulders.

"No, don't!" the girl cried, trying to pull away.

"Angel! I'm not going to hurt you!" The African-American soldier said. The movement became slower. "Come on, this is Kinch. You're safe."

Angel opened her eyes with a start and stared up at her dark-skinned friend. "Kinch." She whispered weakly. "They were trying to make me talk. They wanted me to tell them about your guys. If I didn't…" Her breathing was rapid and she was shaking again.

"Hey, it was just a dream." Kinch said soothingly. He let go of her shoulders and crouched beside the cot. "It's ok now."

"I just couldn't…" The delirium made Rose drift off in the middle of sentences. She closed her eyes and moaned.

"What is she talkin' about?" Newkirk asked, confused.

"The Gestapo tried to convince her to become their spy." Hogan explained, remembering an earlier conversation. "She refused."

"I guess in her dream they were trying to get information about us." Kinch put in.

Newkirk shook his head. "She's a brave one, isn't she." He looked down at the young woman with a degree of admiration. "It's not your average bird 'oo can stand up to the Gestapo."

"I'd say angels are a bit above average." Kinch replied, giving the RAF corporal a half smile.

The five Heroes stood silently in the tunnel one day later. Angel had continued to decline. She didn't even have enough energy to dream and she hadn't been awake in almost twelve hours. The medic sighed as he finished his examination. He stood up wearily, understanding what his message was going to mean to these men. "She's in a coma."

"That means she's resting, right?" Carter was ever the one to remain hopeful.

Forbes shook his head. "Not really. It means she's shutting down. If she doesn't wake up in the next twenty-four hours, she's gone."

Newkirk drove a hammer fist in the tunnel wall and LeBeau muttered something in French. They were active men, used to dealing with threats that could be handled by a gun or a plot or an explosion. Kinch and Hogan were also frustrated, but they were the planners. They both reacted as such.

"Is there anything we can do?" Hogan asked. "Even if it sounds impossible."

Forbes shrugged. "Unless you can get ahold of a new miracle drug, I doubt it."

"What about the medicine we confiscated from her supplies?" Kinch spoke up. "Is there anything in there that would help?"

"She said that she had been using conventional medicines." Hogan reminded him. "Fever reducers and stuff. They didn't help." He almost grinned. "Maybe we should try a few unconventional ones."

"I haven't looked over all of Angel's stock." Forbes said. "But I doubt she has anything in there strong enough to snap her out of this."

"We could at least try, couldn't we?" Carter said. "I mean, you never know you might find."

"I guess so." Forbes said half-heartedly.

"Thanks Forbes." The colonel dismissed him. "We'll try it anyway." The medic nodded again and left. "LeBeau, you stay with Angel. The rest of us will go inventory Angel's supplies." Hogan took charge. He actually agreed with the medic, but he knew that doing this was important to his men. They had to know that they had tried everything. Almost unconsciously, Hogan was preparing them, and himself, for the girl's death.

They trooped down the tunnel to the small storage area where the crates of medicine were. There were only three boxes, but the doses were so small that those three containers held a lot of medicine. The colonel opened the lid on one of them.

"Carter, are you sure you labeled all of these when you switched them for the colored water?" Hogan asked.

"I sure did." The youngest member of the team answered with his normal enthusiasm. "I remember how picky Angel was about amounts and…" his voice trailed off.

Kinch put a hand on Carter's shoulder. "Yeah. She was really careful with this stuff. She'll have to reorganize it after you messed it all up."

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Newkirk asked, picking up a bottle.

"Our favorite doc is super methodical." Hogan began, his strategic mind attacking the problem. "Somehow, these medicines will be organized."

Kinch caught on immediately. "Right. She might even have a book or record of all the stuff she had available."

"Hey, wait a minute." Carter exclaimed. "I found a little black book when I was moving this stuff. I didn't look at it in case it was private, but I decided it might not be something we would want the Krauts to get their hands on."

"Carter, you're a genius." Hogan said. "Sometimes." He amended, noticing the looks that were sent his way.

"The important thing is, do ya remember where ya put it?" Newkirk asked.

"Of course I remember." Carter shot Newkirk a look of insulted disapproval. "It's inside the second crate."

They opened the container and Kinch pulled out the small, black colored volume. He flipped open the front cover and glanced at the page. "It's a record book." He announced.

Colonel Hogan took the book and started flipping through it. "Looks like she kept track of all the prisoners." He paused as he scanned the contents. "And what she used to treat them." He turned to the back of the book and whistled. "Look at this." He handed the book back to Kinch.

"Available meds and their uses." Kinch read. He looked up, his eyes hopeful. "This just might be it, Colonel."

"Well come on then." Newkirk urged. "Start looking."

"There must be fifteen pages here." Kinch mused, running his eyes over Rose's neat, but cramped entries. Not only were there the names and uses of the medicines, but also their approximate quantities for given ages and sizes. "Some of these are crossed out."

"Those are probably the ones she ran out of." Hogan guessed. "We can split the pages up and each take three or four. Everyone look for anything that applies to Angel's condition."

"Right. Fever, coma, extreme weakness…" Kinch listed as he tore out the pages.

Newkirk looked at his papers. "Blimey! This 'andwriting is tiny!"

Hogan nodded. "It will take us a while to process all of this, so get started."

For thirty minutes, there was no sound in the tunnel as they pored over Angel's reports. She had covered everything from chills to blood loss and a few conditions that no one recognized.

Suddenly, Carter sat up straight on the stool he had been using. "I found something!" he said excitedly. He was immediately rushed by the others. "Look, it says, 'For extreme physical exhaustion resulting in dehydration, vital weakness, and coma.'"

"She pretty much described herself." Hogan said thoughtfully. "What's this stuff called?"

"Uh." Carter looked at the notes. "It just says 'Luke' in all capital letters."

"Carter, you're the one who wants to run a pharmacy after the war." Kinch nudged him. "What's LUKE?"

Carter shrugged. "Beats me. It could be a new thing or just really advanced."

"Well, whatever it is, go find Forbes and ask if he thinks it will help." Hogan ordered his explosives expert. "The rest of you, start looking for LUKE." He paused, realizing that the name of the medicine made that sentence sound utterly ridiculous. As unexplainable as the name was, however, it gave the men something they were beginning to lose… hope.

An hour later, they again were gathered in the make-shift sick bay. Forbes had looked at the record entry and full container of LUKE they had found and agreed that, even though they didn't know what it was, it was the best they could do. He slowly filled a syringe with the clear fluid and pushed the needle into Angel's upper arm. "All we can do now is wait." Forbes stated as he withdrew the now empty syringe.

"Alright, whose turn is it to sit with Angel?" The colonel asked, looking around

"It's my turn." Carter answered promptly.

"Ok, the rest of you back up to the barracks." Hogan said with authority. "Even Shultz will get suspicious if we're gone all day."


	5. Chapter 5

In the early hours of the next morning, Kinch was again maintaining his vigil over Angel. The medic's words from yesterday afternoon had been echoing in his ears almost all night. Twelve hours… They had passed the twelve hour mark already, and Angel did not seem to have changed. She remained absolutely still, her breathing shallow and slow. Kinch, with all his determination and control, was beginning to lose hope. He had been praying for hours now, knowing that it was the only thing that could really save his friend.

Kinch jerked awake. Somewhere between worry and fatigue, he had drifted off. He sat up on the hard wooden chair and looked around, wondering what had caused him to wake up. A soft moan from the bed had his attention immediately. Angel was writhing uncomfortably. Her face and hair was damp with sweat and she was breathing deeply.

"Angel?" Kinch placed a hand on her forehead. His face broke into a beaming smile. The fever had broken. "You're going to be alright now." He whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open. "Please, water." Angel said, her voice hoarse. Kinch grabbed the tin mug of water nearby and slipped an arm under her shoulders to prop her up as she drank. Rose closed her eyes in relief as the first swallow of water hit her dry throat. A few swallows was all she could handle. Kinch took the cup away, but continued to hold her.

"You scared the living daylights out of me." He scolded her gently.

Angel winced. "Sorry." Her voice was smoother now, and, although quiet, held a bit of her old spirit. "What happened?" For the first time, she noticed her surroundings. "Why am I in the tunnel?"

"Take it easy." There was no mistaking the tone of command in Kinch's voice. "I'll tell you about it when you're stronger." He laid her back down carefully.

Angel accepted the answer since she was feeling the exhaustion from her long ordeal anyway. "Kinch?" she said sleepily.

"Yeah Angel?"

Her smaller white hand slid down to grasp his large dark one. "Every time I wanted to give in to the pain and go away, I could hear you saying 'Don't give up Angel.' You kept me alive." She sighed as her eyes closed. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Kinch whispered and a sense of peace that he hadn't felt since Angel had gotten sick swept over him. For the first time in nearly a week, he completely relaxed.

And that's how Colonel Hogan found them the next morning. Hand in hand, they were both fast asleep.

"Newkirk, do you really expect me to fall for that one?" a voice echoed down the tunnel. "I'm a trained observer of the human body. You left hand twitches when you make the switch."

Hogan and Kinch both smiled as they walked down the passage. Angel had been growing stronger over the past week and she now sounded like her normal self. Hogan pushed aside the curtain that separated Angel's alcove from the rest of the tunnel and they entered. Angel was sitting on the cot and staring disapprovingly at Newkirk, who still held a deck of cards in his hand. She glanced up as the men entered.

"Alright, tell me how I do it then." Newkirk said smugly.

"You take the card…" Angel's voice trailed off as she realized that the cards had disappeared in the half second she wasn't looking. She rolled her eyes. "Fine. You win. This time."

"I'll win every time." Newkirk said triumphantly. "These 'ole magic fingers never fail to amaze." He appeared to be gloating, but in reality, he was happy to have Angel back with them. He shot a sly smile at his commanding officer that said as much.

"Alright Newkirk, you've had your fun." Hogan reprimanded. "Back to work. We've got two prisoners to process and ship out tonight."

"Righto, Guv." Newkirk slipped past them and disappeared down the tunnel.

"Angel, how're you doing today?" Hogan asked, eyeing the girl appraisingly.

"Bored stiff of sitting here." She replied with a scowl. "But if try to walk more than twenty or thirty yards, I fall on my face."

"As soon as you're strong enough we'll send you to England." Hogan informed her.

"Yeah, they'll probably give you a medal or something for your mission." Kinch added, teasing her a little.

"Forgive me if I'm not jumping up and down for joy." Rose said with a poker face.

"Colonel?" LeBeau's voice reached their ears.

Hogan sighed. "Better go see what that's all about." He left Kinch and Angel alone.

Angel flopped back down on the cot. "Getting well is almost as bad as being sick." She complained.

"Don't say that." Kinch admonished. "You might have been dead. At least we know you're not going to die if you can play games with Newkirk."

"Yeah." Angel stared at the ceiling.

"Hey, there's one thing I've been meaning to ask you." Kinch said, taking advantage of the lull in conversation. "The medicine we gave you when you were almost gone, why did you call it LUKE?"

A flash of electricity shot through Angel's system and she sat bolt upright. "You gave me what?"

"A medicine we found in your collection. It was called LUKE." Kinch repeated, wondering what had the girl so worked up. "Didn't I ever tell you about that?"

"No!" Angel almost shouted. "It was called LUKE? And you used it on me?"

"Yeah." Kinch frowned. "What's wrong with that?"

"Didn't you read the title at the top of the page?"

"No. We split up the pages to go through them faster. They got a little mixed up."

"Kinch." Angel said slowly. "The title at the top of those pages said, in very large letters, EXPERIMENTAL."

Kinch stared at her for a moment. "So what we injected into you…"

"Has never been tested on a living subject." Angel finished. "I haven't even had it identified in a lab. I mixed a few of the most effective medicines, but I had no idea if it would work."

Kinch whistled. "That could have ended badly." He noted calmly.

"No kidding." Angel said, shaking her head. "I formulated that for a severe case." She paused, thinking. "Not unlike my own, actually. But I never got a chance to see if it would work. The guy died before I could try it. His name was Luke, and I named the new medicine after him. There was never a case bad enough to risk using it after that."

"Until you got sick." Kinch interrupted. "You were pretty far gone when we gave it to you."

"Just the same, you'd better make sure it's put in a secure place. I'm still not sure how safe it is." Angel said.

"But I'm sure glad it worked." Kinch smiled at her.

Three weeks later, the five-man team of Hogan's Heroes stood around in the tunnel close to the emergency exit, saying goodbye to a very good friend. The Underground agent who was waiting to take Angel away stood back quietly, watching the unusual send-off.

"Colonel." Angel shook the officer's hand firmly. "Thanks for making sure I didn't finish killing myself."

"We like to take care of our assets." Hogan answered, grinning at her. "One thing I do want to know; what did you say to General Burkhalter?"

"I told him that if God chose not to punish him for his life style within the next two years, congestive heart failure would." Rose said with a perfectly straight face.

There was a moment of stunned silence and then they all burst into laughter. Angel moved on to the next man.

"Newkirk, keep working on those tricks." Angel clasped the Englander's hand and slapped him on the shoulder. "I expect you to make two decks of cards completely disappear within five seconds by the time the war is over."

Newkirk gave her a mock salute. "Righto. And 'ere's your pocket knife back." He handed her the small tool.

Angel glared at him in pretend fury and moved on. "LeBeau, I'll never forget your superb omelets. If you ever decide to teach French in Canada, take the AlCan over to see me." She had to bend over to embrace the little soldier briefly.

"Oui. I will do that." LeBeau said, his eyes moist with tears but his smile as bright as ever.

"Carter." Angel gave the younger man a soft punch in the shoulder. "I still don't believe your stories about ten foot Grizzlies in North Dakota. Come to Kodiak sometime and I'll show you what a really big bear looks like."

"You bet, boy, uh Angel." Carter said cheerfully. "And you'll have to come see our reservation sometime! You haven't seen anything until…"

"If I'm ever near your area, I'll look you up." Angel promised. She would miss Carter's rambling. She reluctantly moved the last member of the group.

"Kinch." Angel tilted her head back to look into the man's eyes. She had really grown to love this quiet, level-headed, always loyal guy as a close friend. "You saved my life. I'll never forget you."

Kinch's teeth showed in an almost shy smile. "And you saved mine. We're even." He swept her up in a bear hug and she returned it fiercely. Kinch released her after a few minutes, stepping back and hoping she didn't notice the tears threatening him.

Angel couldn't notice, as she was fighting tears of her own. She looked around. These were some really great guys. Real heroes. "Hey, the war can't last forever." She said, trying to lighten the moment. "I'll be seeing you again." She turned to her guide as he started up the ladder.

A chorus of farewells was the last thing she heard from down below.

Two weeks later, the five were again gathered in the tunnel, awaiting the arrival of one of their familiar contacts.

"Alright, we know that we have the plans to the new arms factory." Hogan began. "But after that, it's a blank. Carter, do we have enough explosives to destroy it?"

"Boy, we sure do!" Carter said, full of his usual enthusiasm. "We're stocked on firecrackers, plastic, dynamite…"

"That should do the job." Hogan halted the inventory.

"But Colonel, this town is way outside our normal range." Kinch pointed out. "How are we going to get there?"

"I'll come up with something." The colonel gave his signature promise.

"He always does." A new, yet familiar, voice came from the direction of the emergency tunnel.

Five pair of eyes turned to the tunnel and five jaws dropped at once. Angel emerged with the Underground contact following her.

"Hey guys!" She said in her normal, cheerful manner.

The colonel, as always, was the first to recover. "What are you doing here?" He asked, even though he was half afraid he knew what the answer was. "You were supposed to be back in London by now."

Angel shrugged. "Well, I got to talking to some of the people who work with the resistance in this area and decided to stay and see what they do. I kind of just never left. Turns out, a good, on-call doctor is needed in your line of work."

"What about orders?" Hogan sputtered.

"What orders?" Angel said innocently.

Suddenly, there was a chuckle from the direction of the radio table. Kinch didn't even try to the smother his mirth as the chuckle turned into a deep, hearty laugh. "Why did we even expect her to obey orders?" He said as he caught his breath.

Carter agreed immediately. "Really, we should have seen this coming."

LeBeau nodded as Newkirk chimed in. "Why should she start listening to us now, sir?"

Hogan, seeing that he was out-voted, cast his eyes upward. "Ok. Fine. She can stay." In reality, he was overjoyed to have Angel working with them, although the notion of his implied orders being disobeyed was not too comforting. Plus, they really did need an undercover doctor.

"So glad you agree, Colonel." Rose was nonplussed. She would have stayed anyway. "I'm living with Fritz's family two miles outside of Hammelburg. Call me if you need me."

"Great." Hogan said flatly. "In the meantime…"

"In the meantime," Angel interjected. "I have your plans for you." She reached inside her coat and brought out a piece of paper.

"How..?" Hogan wondered if he wanted to know.

Angel shrugged. "The Germans need doctors too. And if they happen to need them at the arms factory…"

"Angel, you're impossible." Hogan shook his head, realizing that this is what Klink had told him before.

"I learned from the best." Angel grinned at him.

The next day, the men were sitting around the table, chatting and eating lunch when Shultz interrupted them. He swung open the door and immediately took a long whiff.

"Oh omelets!" The large guard's eyes got round and assumed what he wanted to be a puppy dog look.

LeBeau rolled his eyes. "Yes Shultz. Today, Hermann laid enough even for you." He dished a generous portion onto a tin dish. "The only one who can eat more eggs that you is Angel. Bon appétit."

Kinch chucked. "Yeah. She sure loves it when Hermann is laying extras."

Shultz's omelet dropped off his fork as it froze mid-bite. "Is? Loves? Wait a minute! Wait just a minute!" He began to feel very nervous.

"What's the matter Shultz?" Newkirk asked. "You look as if you've seen a ghost."

"No, but you must have seen a ghost." Shultz said in a shaky voice. "You keep talking about _her_ like she is right here." His voice sank to a whisper.

"Ah Shultz, everyone knows that Angel's favorite food is LeBeau's omelets." Hogan took a sip of coffee. He enjoyed playing these games. And besides, Shultz had liked Angel too.

"Colonel Hogan, I must know." Shultz decided to try being brave, even though his voice was shaking. "Is Fräulein Rose really… Is she still…" He couldn't bear to frame the question.

Hogan eyed the sergeant over his cup, a tormenting, totally relaxed smile on his face. "Now Shultz, could anybody ever really kill an Angel?"


End file.
